Neighbor News
California Office of Traffic Safety Awards Santa Monica PD $300K Grant
A large grant to the Santa Monica PD was awarded to help fight DUI in the area.
Raising public awareness and increasing enforcement can go a long way toward helping to prevent impaired and distracted driving incidents. The Santa Monica Police Department will be able to do more of this kind of community outreach through a $300,000 grant that they have been awarded by the California Office of Traffic.
Department officials say that the grant will be used for special enforcement and to raise public awareness to prevent traffic related deaths and injuries.
Funding for the grant is made through the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The grant will be used in educational events, DUI checkpoints, DUI saturation patrols, bicycle and pedestrian safety enforcement, motorcycle safety enforcement, distracted driving enforcement, and seat belt/child safety seat enforcement.
According to Santa Monica Police Department Chief Jacqueline Seabrook, the department will use the funds toward improving traffic and pedestrian safety. “I am encouraged by the continued support from the California Office of Traffic Safety and its commitment towards promoting safety on the roadways in Santa Monica,” Chief Seabrook said.
There has been a marked increase in the number of accidents for pedestrians, bicyclists and automobiles in recent years. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that the number of people who have lost their lives on roadway accidents increased in 2015 by 17 percent. Some researchers believe that these increases can be attributed to a number of factors such as drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs or because of distractions behind the wheel while driving.
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OTS Director Rhonda Craft said in a statement that she believes that both enforcement and education will help to reduce the number of unsafe driving incidents. “This grant brings both tactics together, with the Office of Traffic Safety and the Santa Monica Police Department working in concert to help keep the streets and highways safe across Santa Monica and the state.”
If you or someone you love has been arrested for DUI in Santa Monica, you need a lawyer who will work diligently for you. Our attorneys specialize in defending those facing DUI charges. Contact us today at (310) 971-9045.
